New business, new jobs

It was a ribbon cutting of a different kind on Friday when international meat company, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of their butchery on Phillipe Road near Yreka.

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By John Bowman

Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA

By John Bowman

Posted Nov. 1, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Updated Nov 1, 2012 at 11:55 AM

By John Bowman

Posted Nov. 1, 2012 at 11:41 AM
Updated Nov 1, 2012 at 11:55 AM

YREKA

It was a ribbon cutting of a different kind on Friday when international meat company, Belcampo, specializing in organic, sustainable and responsibly raised meats, held a ribbon cutting – or more accurately, a sausage cutting – ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of their butchery on Phillipe Road near Yreka.

The event was well attended by over 70 people, including county supervisors, Yreka city council members, local residents, and Belcampo representatives and employees.

Before the sausage cutting, Aaron Baustad, Belcamp butchery general manager, thanked the community, local government and the Siskiyou County Economic Development Council (SCEDC) for their help and support in making the butchery possible.

“We’re going to take meat products raised here in Siskiyou County as far and wide as we can go in every direction,” Baustad told the crowd.

Belcampo Meat Company operates a 10,000-acre ranch near Gazelle that specializes in organically raised, rare and heritage breeds. The opening of their state-of-the-art Yreka butchery facility will add 30 jobs to the local community. Belcampo will also soon be featured in upcoming issues of both Sunset Magazine and Food & Wine.

Mark Klever, Belcampo’s local ranch general manager said the facility is equiped to process both organic and non-organic animals and will be offering custom butchery for local meat producers, though it has not begun doing so yet.

The company’s home office is located in Oakland, Calif. In addition to their Gazelle ranch, they also operate farms/ranches in Uruguay and Belize where they raise meat and grow produce sold across the nation. They also operate a butcher shop and restaurant in Larkspur, Calif.

Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors Chair Grace Bennett told the audience the company would be a “tremendous asset” to Yreka and the county.

“A long time ago the city council had a vision for this property. They ran sewer and water here in the hopes that it would become an industrial park someday,” Bennett said, adding that she hoped this would be just the first in a series of businesses to build in the industrial zone.

Yreka Mayor David Simmen did the honors of cutting the sausage after speaking to the assembled browd. He thanked Belcampo for choosing Siskiyou County and thanked the community and the SCEDC for their support and hard work in facilitating the process, adding that the business brings jobs and spurs development in the area.

“This is a very important link in the economic chain,” Simmen said, explaining that economic development in Siskiyou County depends on many different pieces working together like a chain to make a larger, strong unit.

The SCEDC issued a press release before Friday’s event to highlight the role of the Enterprise Zone program in encouraging Belcampo, as well as Castle Rock bottled water company in Dunsmuir, to locate their operations in Siskiyou County.

Page 2 of 2 - “We are excited to celebrate with these two new Siskiyou County businesses. The Enterprise Zone program provided the necessary incentives to attract Belcampo Butchery and Castle Rock Water Company to locate in Siskiyou County. These businesses will create a net of 50 to 100 new jobs at full capacity,” stated Tonya Dowse, the executive director of SCEDC.

“Here we have two businesses in our area not only thriving, but expanding. This is great news for the entire county and just another example of the Enterprise Zone program at work,” Dowse added. “Since January of 2012, the Siskiyou Enterprise Zone has supported the retention of 377 existing and the creation of 144 new jobs.”

To learn more about Belcampo visit their website at belcampomeatco.com/.